BJP to celebrate Jayaprakash Narayan birth anniversary as "Save Democracy Day"

New Delhi: Seeking to appropriate the legacy of socialist leader Jayaprakash Narayan, BJP plans to celebrate his 113th birth anniversary as "Save Democracy Day" in a big way across the country and highlight his role in opposing Emergency in his home state and poll-bound Bihar.

While Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the chief guest at a national programme in memory of the socialist leader in Delhi on October 11 and honour those who were jailed under MISA, BJP President Amit Shah will hold a function in JP's native village Sitabdiara in Bihar to pay homage to the leader.

The five-phased Assembly polls in Bihar, where BJP-led NDA is pitched in a tough electoral battle with the grand alliance of Nitish Kumar's JD-U, Lalu Prasad's RJD and Congress, start from October 12 and the results will be out on November 8.

The BJP seeks also to "expose" the followers of the socialist leader who it alleges have for their political gains allied with Congress, that imposed Emergency in the country.

"As a mark of respect to Bharat Ratna Lok Nayak Jayapraksh Narayan, the BJP will observe October 11, 2015 as Loktantra Raksha Diwas (Save Democracy Day). The celebration of Lok Nayak?s 113th birth anniversary shall be a reminder to the nation that the spirits of democracy must live.

"Those who fought under the leadership of JP against the dictatorial regime of Indira Gandhi during Emergency will carry on the legacy of the great visionary," BJP general secretary Arun Singh said.

He said the 40th anniversary of the Emergency also falls this year and this will be highlighted to people across the country, who will also take a pledge for saving democracy.

BJP Secretary Siddharth Nath Singh, however, said, that it "will expose some people who for their political gains have joined hands with Congress, whom JP opposed all along."

Arun Singh said despite his failing health Lok Nayak Jayaprakash Narayan rose like a sphinx and challenged Indira Gandhi with the power of people by organising the largest people's movement in the country since Independence often called India's second freedom struggle.

He added that the Lok Nayak gave the call for 'Total Revolution' which envisaged complete transformation of society and it assimilated the concept of integral humanism propounded by Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay.

Organised by Lok Nayak Jayaprakash Narayan Jayanti Samiti at Vigyan Bhawan, the event will see the Prime Minister honour some people who were detained under MISA during Emergency, 800 of whom will attend the function.

Former deputy Prime Minister L K Advani, who played a stellar role during Emergency would also grace the occasion, along with Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal.